Password insecurity

A new report by SplashData lists the 25 worst passwords of the year. Once again, the most commonly-used one is “123456”, followed closely by “password”.

We read a lot about how hackers can break into just about any website these days, and you may wonder why it’s worth the bother to come up with more secure passwords. If they can break in anyway, why should I have to create and memorize complicated passwords with numbers, letters and symbols?

To me, it’s simple: You’ll likely never stop the NSA or sophisticated hackers who are determined to get into your email or website or other private area. But having a secure password means that you make it harder for everyone else who might be trying to get in, and doesn’t have the resources of a government or big organization behind it. It’s like locking the door on your home. You won’t stop someone with a battering ram, but you will stop someone who’s randomly testing doors to see which one in unlocked.